The Last Stand
by Lady Anaira
Summary: The first in a several part series that has to do with what the Senshi went through during that final battle in the Silver Millennium. The First part being Going Down in Flames, Sailor Mars' Perspective.


Going Down In Flames

Violet eyes watched in horror as the men she had trained for combat fell protecting their kingdom. Raven hair tossed by an unnatural breeze that flowed through the Moon Kingdom. She prayed to the pantheon of gods that Venus and Prince Endymion could hold their own against the attackers and keep her beloved Princess Serenity safe. She hoped that the Queen whom was surrounded by her own personal guard could eliminate the threat to their kingdom.

She watched carefully as the terrans that had destroyed her comrades in arms surrounded her. Their swords stained with the blood of courageous men and women. She could not help the feral smile that curved her lips. _They think they can best me, Sailor Soldier Mars. _If these men thought she was weak then she would prove them wrong. She moved her hands before her and began to concentrate on the divine fire that burned hotly within her. _Let them think what they will, I will not go down without a fight. Let them see how hot the rage of Ares, God of War, burns within me, _she thought even as she cried out, "Mars Fireball Igni…"

Her war cry fell short as she saw the men part to make way for their leader. She saw his blond hair ruffled by the mournful breeze that foreshadowed all. His blue eyes pierced her to the soul, _So this is what has become of him, a traitor's death he shall have for his treachery. _She had wondered what had happened to him when she had not heard from him. She had even cried for him with her fellow warriors when Prince Endymion had escaped to the moon and had informed him that the generals were missing. Now she could see the error of her ways. Now she knew her own foolishness. He had betrayed her and the Kingdom she had vowed to protect. However, as much of the thought of his treachery tortured her she vowed he would not survive to see daylight. _Father Ares, give me strength to see this vow to the end. Let me not fail in my duties as Guardian to my Princess._

Her purple eyes steeled with resolve, "General Jikoku," she said with a calm that belied her inner turmoil as he stopped ten feet away from her. Her emotions were a boiling chaos within her but she was a trained warrior and she would not let him affect her.

"So you have been spying on us as Queen Beryl informed us." The blond haired general spat out as he watched her through narrowed blue eyes.

"Queen Beryl?" the raven-haired woman questioned as she watched the man she loved as though he was a stranger. Then her brain clicked, he was a stranger, this was not her Jikoku, not her General of the Golden Kingdom's Eastern district. Her violet orbs stared into his sapphire ones, _he is not Jikoku, he at least had a soul. Jikoku's eyes burned with a fiery passion as hot as my own. This man has no soul. What did you do my love? Why did you sacrifice your soul?_ Her thoughts tortured her, branding into her memory that though he possessed her lover's body it was not him.

"Queen Beryl of the Dark Kingdom and the true ruler of Terra." He proclaimed proudly, "We will rid ourselves of the intruders that invaded our solar system." He declared loftily as he lifted his head to sneer down upon her.

"So long as my Queen and Princess live there will be no threat to this kingdom that we cannot vanquish even if I must perish in the process." She said whole-heartedly, for this was her truth. So long as one of royal lunar blood held the silver crystal no evil could withstand them.

"That is why my Queen intends to destroy your precious Queen and Princess." The general spat back at her.

"I will waste no more words on you." She pooled the divine fire into her hands and swiftly cocked the bow of fire that appeared in her hands with a fiery arrow. "This conversation is moot. Say goodbye."

"Goodbye, Sailor Mars." He said arrogantly as flames formed in his hands.

She was shocked as far as she knew he had never possessed this type of ability before, his had always been the eastern wind as one of the highly regarded Shi Tenno of Earth. "Mars Flame Sniper!" She cried out her attack even as she watched him hurl his own flames at her but she did not dodge, no she would allow the flames of his attack to destroy her even as hers' destroyed him. She watched sorrowfully as he dodged her attack even as his burned her just as his love had.

She lay crumpled on the marble walkways, a sorrowful shade of her former glory, and she stared transfixed by his feral grace as he stalked towards her, wary, as any man should be. She was injured but had not been destroyed.

He stopped directly above her, "Now what were you prattling about? Yes, I believe you declared you would destroy me. So whom is the victor and whom the destroyed Sailor Mars?"

Tears sprung unbidden to her eyes as she watched his gloating smile. _Arrogant man, this is not the end of my powers or me._ Steadily she brought the flames that burned eternally within her heart into her right arm and with a snakelike reaction: she caught his ankle and lovingly spoke, "Goodbye my love."

"Adrestia…" his voice broke on the name even as he cried out in horror and pain. Horror at having destroyed his beloved and pain from her flames that now sought to destroy him.

She closed her eyes, in the end he had remembered her but it was too late his crime could not go unpunished. She was destroying him with the fire of her soul and once her power was extinguished, her life was forfeit. However, in the midst of her attack she felt an agonizing pain that was not her own it lashed at her abdomen as though a sword had been thrust through it. She screamed in horror as she realized the pain was coming through the bond she shared with Princess Serenity. She heard a heart wrenching scream pierce the war-filled air and then all was silent. Even though her eyes were shut, she could still see the blinding light as though they were opened and even with the awareness that she was dying, she knew that her Queen was destroying these invaders and she smiled in triumph even as she increased the power of her flames on her beloved. Then a blanket of darkness settled over her and she melted into the welcoming embrace of the abyss, satisfied that she had done all she could.


End file.
